The first piece of art that I hung on the wall in my home office in Everson included the word “evolve” on it. It was a funny thrift store find costing less than $5.
That piece of art and that word stuck to me like glue for years. It has been a reminder to keep observing and exploring; it has been a reminder to pivot and shift and take leaps that felt right. That piece of art has inspired me to evolve with PR Consulting for a decade.
September 2019 marks the 10-year anniversary of PR Consulting, now Bellingham PR and Communications. What? Really? Already?
That’s an entire decade of working alongside company owners, CEOs, department managers and other respected staff, in ways that spark ideas, ease stress and lift burdens. For their trust, for the opportunity to serve others in a career like this, I am so appreciative.
An evolving business
Since September 2009, there have been more than 3,650 days of learning and growing and doing work that is challenging and rewarding.
The tools we use to help companies communicate certainly continue to change. Fresh ideas and new methods have come forward; best practices keep adjusting. The evolution of the marketing and communication industry has certainly been intriguing.
One needs a “never stop learning” mindset in this industry today. If you don’t continue learning and evolving, you’ll be out of business in no time. Seriously.
I am grateful for the countless educational webinars, local seminars, industry articles, podcasts, social media society forums, and inspiring books that have allowed me to learn and grow in this career. What better time in history to have access to so much knowledge, much of which is free and easy to access.
What do you want to learn next? Do it! You, too, will be grateful for the resources at hand.
Evolving the team
While this business may have started off as a solo operation, it has been lifted up by others over the years. Some were here for brief periods of time, some for years.
I am grateful for the humans who have been part of PRC’s team since 2009. Having been a stay-at-home mom for many years (best job ever!), I am personally proud to operate a business that allows others to work and learn while living a family-first lifestyle or pursuing other passions.
Kelsey, Megan, Lindsey, Tara, Brittany, Thomas, Sarah, Karen and Matthew. Thank you! I think it’s safe to say that we all learned something along the way.
For example, my daughter, Kelsey, interned with PRC in the early years. Through that experience, we both realized that that we were much better as a mother-daughter duo than in a boss-employee setting. Lesson learned. 😉
Others pushed me to learn and grow as a leader; some encouraged me to take more breaks and rest. I’ve gotten much better at both; there is always more to learn.
Onward
While the “evolve” piece of art still hangs next to the door of my home office, now in Bellingham, last year, another word caught my attention: onward.
I love the word “onward.” For me, it’s a reminder that no matter what – through good times or bad – we all keep pushing onward.
Local business leaders can provide so much inspiration if you pause and observe. Over the years, clients and friends who manage local companies have been wonderful examples of living with an “onward” mindset.
They keep pushing on during great times. Times when the market is hot and they’re having a record year in sales. Times when they get to pick and choose the projects they want to do because the demand is so high in their industry (yay!). They keep stretching and growing and looking for other opportunities, knowing that the market can shift at any point. They don’t sit tight; they keep pushing onward, preparing for the future.
They also keep moving onward when a new competitor comes into the market. They keep going when their business experiences a fire, or when a key employee exits. They keep going when they get hit with a massive binder of new governmental regulations that their company needs to comply with. They don’t stop when they lose a favorite client.
This quote from an unknown author appeared on my Facebook timeline today. It seems fitting to include at the end of this article. There is just one more word I’d add, included in bold below.
On particularly rough days
when I’m sure I can’t possibly endure,
I like to remind myself that my
track record for getting through
bad days so far is 100%
and that’s pretty good.
Onward.
So, onward we go with gratitude and appreciation, a positive attitude and a healthy dose of grit and determination. That’s the PRC way.
